205 live: is it the end of the road for the show

[Psykohurricane55]

While i do admit, i'm not a loyal viewer of 205 live, i still watch from time to time and for the most part, i do enjoyed the show. But i look at the current roster and especially the title match for this sunday and i'm thinking that maybe, this is their way of phasing out the division before october when smackdown moves to friday.

When you look at the current division, most of it are either the original guys or guys that are doing double duty by wrestling on either raw (mike kanellis, drake maverick) or NXT/NXT UK. It's like they are trying to place these guys on different roster that they can cancel the show in october.

I actually wouldn't mind it if they cancel the show. The whole thing as been a failure since is inception 2 years ago. They pretty much took all the stars out of the show by moving them to either raw or smackdown and while the matches are good, it feel like we always see the same matches everyweek like what is happening on Main event when you see the same match every week.

So if they decided to cancel the show in october, with the limited roster they have, it will be easy to place them on different brand. Kendrick could retire and be a grea5 backstage agent. Gulak, neese and tozawa could be great in NXT with oney orcan. Gallagher could go to nxt uk and be a major star. I could see davari be some sort of manager on either raw or smackdown. The rest are all ready on other shows so it you just continue doing what you where doing with them.

 

[JoeMallard]

If the rumors are true about NXT becoming an official main brand, going to FS1 and being two hours, I would move the talent over to fill out the brand. I have a feeling that Evolve will become the new developmental, which should mean nobody beside maybe Velveteen Dream goes to Raw or Smackdown.

 

[Aquaman6686]

205 Live is a waste of time. The cruiserweight division of today is not half as interesting as it was in 2002-2007. It's full of nobodies and hardly anybody watches it. Just cancel it and disperse the competitors.

 

[thewhitecrow]

I honestly don’t get what is the reason behind the existence of that show

 

[BigDaddyKewl]

With NXT moving to tv and being two hours maybe they could merge NXT with 205 Live. NXT will need more content to fill two hours and I think 205 might come off better with NXT crowd. NXT has more of the die hard fans and I think 205 would be more over and have more enthusiasm with a different audience rather then the casual fans at Raw and Smackdown, if they don’t want to move to NXT then I’d say scrap it. Theirs way too much content as it is and eventually they are probably gonna have cut some talent that aren’t being used and they don’t have plans for.

 

[TDFG]

With NXT moving to tv and being two hours maybe they could merge NXT with 205 Live. NXT will need more content to fill two hours and I think 205 might come off better with NXT crowd. NXT has more of the die hard fans and I think 205 would be more over and have more enthusiasm with a different audience rather then the casual fans at Raw and Smackdown, if they don’t want to move to NXT then I’d say scrap it. Theirs way too much content as it is and eventually they are probably gonna have cut some talent that aren’t being used and they don’t have plans for.

I agree with this, much better if they just merge the shows together, that or cancel it.

 

[Vanilla Midget]

The show originally existed as a way to get eyes on the Network. Have the cruiserweight showcase on Raw, get people watching it on the Network. The second half of the idea was to recreate the exciting cruiserweight division that was successful on Nitro.

Now it's more or less Network content and another developmental brand/place to keep smaller guys employed. Having Maverick and Kanellis appear on both 205 and Raw has been a step in the right direction. I'd credit what they've done with the those two as getting me watching 205 again. I can't be alone in that. Though Maverick's character is night and day between 205 and all other appearances.

It's amazing to see how NXT juggles so many angles and storylines whereas 205, with the same amount of weekly programming, only seems to manage two or three.

NXT has it's World title, NA title, women's title, tag titles, the Breakout tournament, Io vs Candace, Riddle vs Dain and Breezango vs Forgotten Sons all in ongoing storylines.

205 has Mike vs Drake and its championship. That's really it. They're clearly grooming Humberto for something. They seem unable to sustain too many storylines.

Maybe it's because they don't have their own version of TakeOver to work towards? My understanding is Triple H is in charge of booking both shows, so it's odd that 205 seems to lack the multiple long term angles that NXT does.

If 205 can continue to deliver matches like Gallagher vs Gable, then quality wrestling alone seems to give it a reason to exist.

This whole "I don't watch it or see the point, therefore cancel it," mentality is pretty weak. If the show does get folded into NXT, then good. There are so many interesting possibilities with both of those rosters interacting.

Personally my preference would see both continue, with some crossover. I like 205 as a touring brand and NXT as a stationary brand in Full Sail.

If 205 does continue it needs a few improvements. The Mike Kanellis storyline needs a payoff. Where is it going? There needs to be a vision and Mike has been crapped on so much that he basically needs to turn face and win the cruiserweight title for any of it to have had any purpose.

The show needs multiple long term angles. If there's no other belts to fight over (there shouldn't be) then they should have tournaments for number one contender and that spot can act almost as an alternate prize for those outside the title scene.

They need to remove Drake as GM. He's excellent in the 24/7 comedy roll, but it makes no sense for him to be Mr. Serious GM on Wednesdays. It's like he's working two characters.

Bring in a classic WWE cruiserweight to work as GM. Shane Helms is already a backstage producer. Does Jaime Noble still work there? It might be risky to put him on the road, but what about X-Pac? Heck, Matt Hardy even held the cruiserweight title. How entertaining would Matt be?

It's amazing how much more NXT gets done with an hour per week and an even larger roster compared to 205. If the show is absorbed by NXT, it'll be interesting to see if the best stays around or not.

 

[neildittmar]

Since inception, my general opinion of 205 Live is that it's a niche show for a niche audience. While it's fast-paced, highly athletic action could appeal to a more mainstream audience, it's placement on the WWE network only almost mandates that you're a general fan of wrestling in order to see it... a bit of a paradox to be sure.

For those reasons and more, it's no surprise to me that 205 Live could be perceived as a dying / nearly dead brand.

Saving 205 Live requires WWE to put some effort and energy into it. I speculated awhile back that upon his return, Rey Mysterio could've been key to getting the brand off the ground and putting it in the spotlight. Rey is internationally know and instantly recognizable, not only for his present work but for being a "founding father" of sorts for the successful Cruiserweight divisions (ECW, WCW) of yesteryear. It's probably not too late to move Rey over to 205, turn him heel, put the Cruiserweight title on him in short order, and have the show revolve around him and the guys who will chase him. With the twilight of his career within eyeshot, use Rey to build a new star (or hopefully stars) as they face him for the title. There are so many old lion / young lion bouts that you could make with Rey and the current roster it's almost scary.